It's The Great Pumpkin, Ponyboy
by This Is Melodrama
Summary: Ponyboy can count on his brothers. And on his friends. But not so much the Great Pumpkin.


**Disclaimer: S.E. Hinton owns The Outsiders. Charles M. Schulz owns "Peanuts: It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown."**

* * *

 **October 31, 1958**

"Mom, does Soda really have to go?" Darry whined, and looked at his mother pleadingly. "It's big kids, you know, guys from school and stuff."

"Darry—"

"But I thought Soda was going trick-or-treating with _us_ ," Two-Bit said, stepping into the kitchen, his eyes landing on the two.

Darry cocked an eyebrow. "You're going trick-or-treating?"

"Heck yeah!" the younger boy answered excitedly. "Whose party are you going to anyway?"

"Paul's."

"Gross."

Darry rolled his eyes at the comment, before his attention returned to his mother. He really didn't want to drag Soda along with him to Paul Holden's Halloween party, nor did he want to take him and Ponyboy trick-or-treating beforehand. He would be humiliated, and besides, the party wasn't for little kids.

Glory, why couldn't Soda just keep up the tradition of going trick-or-treating with the guys? Well, other than Ponyboy, who had plans to sit in the pumpkin patch and wait for the "Great Pumpkin" or whatever.

Still . . .

"Mom, can I _please_ go by myself?" he asked again. "Look, Two-Bit can take Soda and Steve and Johnny, right?" He shot a hopeful look at his red-headed friend. "I think Curly and Angela are going with them, aren't they?"

With a sigh, Mrs. Curtis turned to face her son with an aggravated expression. "Why is it such a big deal for Soda to go to Paul's party?" Her voice was stern by then, eyes fixed. "Also, it's not Two-Bit's responsibility to take _your_ little brothers trick-or-treating. He has his own sister to watch. And isn't Paul's younger brother going to be there?"

"No!"

Another sigh. Mrs. Curtis didn't exactly know that Paul's parents weren't around, but that was mighty fine with her oldest son. Though the thirteen year old was persistent, she wouldn't budge. Of course, she understood that Darry was older now, but that didn't mean Soda should be labeled as an embarrassment to him, either—that she would not stand for.

Two-Bit was watching the scene with amusement. Sure, he had to take his kid sister around the block for some candy, but that was _way_ earlier than when the guys were headed out.

"Mrs. C, I could take Soda and Pony if you want," the ten year old proposed. "It ain't a big deal, honest. 'Sides, I can even take'em early if Soda is gonna go with Darry."

"Mom—"

"Darry—"

The front door suddenly slammed, interrupting their disagreement. Soda came barreling in with Steve, Johnny and Ponyboy trailing in after them. In Soda's hands was a small pumpkin, which he set down on some paper scattered along the kitchen floor where Ponyboy liked to paint.

While Mrs. Curtis tended to Ponyboy and Johnny, Darry pulled his younger brother aside, grinning down at him. He figured that a little persuasion wouldn't hurt the kid, and if it could get them what they both wanted, then no harm would be done.

"Do you _really_ want to go to Paul's party with me tonight?" he asked, trying to sound interested in his brother's answer.

The younger boy shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe."

Darry exhaled hard. "Come on, Soda. You know the only thing you want is the candy." He forced a smile onto his face, dark brows raising a bit. "Look, how about this, if you tell Mom you don't want to go with me, I'll bring back a lot of candy from Paul's house just for you, deal?"

Soda's brown eyes were huge, then. "Okay, Darry!"

And that was all it took to get his kid brother off his back. Soda loved sweets, probably a little too much, but that was just fine and dandy with Darry, because now he didn't have to worry about him tagging along.

Besides, Two-Bit already mentioned that he wouldn't have a problem taking the rest of them out trick-or-treating, so what could possibly go wrong?

* * *

"Hey, Ponyboy, whatta ya got there?" Johnny asked, standing on his tiptoes to see over the boy's shoulder.

Ponyboy grinned, a hole showing where his top tooth had come out. "I'm writing a letter to the Great Pumpkin, Johnny!" At the older boy's baffled look, he continued with enthusiasm. "Every year, the Great Pumpkin rises up out of the pumpkin patch to bring toys and goodies to all the little boys and girls."

Johnny shifted on his feet. "I never heard of the Great Pumpkin."

The younger boy looked appalled. "Really?" Another smile. "Well, Darry told me all about him, even said this would be the best year for me to wait for him because I'm seven, and seven is a lucky number."

At this newfound information, the dark-haired boy's eyes lit up. "Can I write a letter, too?"

Overhearing the conversation, Soda looked up at the two boys from his place on the floor where he was carving out his pumpkin from earlier. "Are you two actually writing those letters?"

"What letters?" Darry inquired, walking out as he slicked his wet hair back, tiny droplets of water dripping down his shirt.

Ponyboy answered in an excited voice. "Me an' Johnny are sending letters to the Great Pumpkin."

The older boy rolled his eyes. Good grief, he thought, shaking his head. Because of Soda's antics and Ponyboy's big imagination, he was sometimes laughed at. Of course, he had absolutely no problem taking on anyone who messed with him or his brothers, but sometimes, he was glad that they didn't tag along with him.

His countenance shifted to amusement as he remembered the tale he'd told his youngest brother a week ago; that kid sure did swallow up every word he'd said.

* * *

"All set?" Two-Bit asked, looking around at everyone. "I'll take good care of them, Mrs. C!"

Mrs. Curtis nodded once. "Remember, no later than nine, Two-Bit."

"But, Mom—"

"No, Soda," she countered, adjusting his mask. She'd already heard plenty of times that _it_ _wasn't a school night_. Her eyes met Two-Bit's. "Look both ways before crossing the street, and don't forget to meet Ponyboy and Johnny at the patch, you hear?"

The rusty-haired greaser nodded. "Yes, ma'am!"

As the seven children left to go trick-or-treating, Mr. and Mrs. Curtis watched them with smiles on their faces. Glory, those kids, they thought with entertainment.

Darry had left for his party a half hour ago, having some input from his father that it would be alright for him to go alone. Soda had changed his mind about going anyway, which Mrs. Curtis was internally thankful for.

It's not that she _wanted_ Darry to bring him along everywhere, but the poor kid wanted to go at first and Mrs. Curtis didn't find it right that Darry was so harsh on him. She felt better that he would be home sooner, though, having decided to go with the other boys.

The two Shepard siblings had joined the group as well, coming back with Two-Bit after he had taken his own little sister out for trick-or-treat.

The two children had said Tim was too busy to take them, and that Halloween was for little kids. Mrs. Curtis assured little Angela that Tim's words were certainly untrue, even though Curly expressed annoyance for having to go with his little sister rather than hang with Tim.

The dark-haired girl skipped alongside Ponyboy. "Why are you sitting in a pumpkin patch instead of trick-or-treating?"

"Because he's an idiot," Steve answered, rolling his eyes, which earned him a punch in the arm from Soda.

"Am not!" Ponyboy returned, and then frowned. "Right, Johnny?"

The black-haired boy shook his head, before offering a half smile to his friend. Sometimes, Steve was just a rotten egg, he thought, but he was still their friend. He was just awful mean to Ponyboy, and Johnny didn't understand why.

Curly's voice interrupted his thoughts. "Well, y'all think trick-or-treating is tuff."

"Don't be such a grumpy goblin, Curly," Two-Bit said, and then laughed at his own words. "Grumpy goblin, get it?"

"He's just mad because Tim won't let him hangout with him and Texas!" Angela divulged in a sassy tone, crossing her arms over her chest as she raised her chin defiantly.

Soda chuckled at her nickname for Dallas Winston. He thought Angela Shepard was a real spitfire, but found her little crush on Ponyboy hilarious. And disgusting.

Too bad his kid brother was scared stiff of the raven-haired girl, not that he could truly blame him. Golly, she frightened _him_ sometimes, but that was mostly because she was snarky and yelled when she didn't get her way.

"Shut up, Angela!" came the response from Curly.

Ponyboy looked toward the girl. "You wanna sit with me and Johnny while we wait for the Great Pumpkin?" He grinned real big. "He leaves toys for all the little boys and girls around the world on Halloween night!"

Angela took his arm in hers. "Of course, Ponyboy. I would just _love_ to!"

Curly glared at Ponyboy. "You try anything with my sister, Curtis, and I'll beat the tar outta you."

* * *

Having left Ponyboy, Johnny, and Angela at the pumpkin patch, the other four went around trick-or-treating. They went from house to house to collect their candy, before stopping to see what they were given, excitement in each of their eyes.

"Gee, I got a fudge bar!" Soda said.

Two-Bit grinned. "I got a pack of gum."

Curly merely rolled his eyes. "Boy, I got a lollipop."

Steve marched up, a frown on his lips. "I got a rock."

The four ventured into another neighborhood, repeating the process all over again. Along the way, Soda had nibbled on some of his candy, looking forward to the bunches that Darry had promised he would bring home just for him. It's not that he _really_ even wanted to go to that party to begin with, but he sure knew how to get what he wanted nonchalantly.

Darry had taught him real well when they were a lot younger.

At the end of the block, Two-Bit searched through his bag, before pulling out a package of chocolate chip cookies. "I got cookies!"

Curly raised an eyebrow. "I got a bag of candy corn."

"I got a candy bar!" Soda exclaimed, ready to tear the thing open and devour it.

Steve's jaw was clenched as he held up a small object. "I got a rock."

* * *

Angela was growing mighty bored. "So, where is this Great Pumpkin?"

Ponyboy chewed his bottom lip. "He'll be here, you'll see. The Great Pumpkin respects sincerity, and I don't know what could offer more sincerity than this pumpkin patch." He breathed in slowly, closing his eyes. "Complete sincerity alright, not one sign of hypocrisy as far as the eye can see."

Johnny raised an eyebrow. "What's hippo-crissy?"

"Hypocrisy," Ponyboy repeated, and sounded the word out. "I'm not really sure, Johnny. I reckon it means when somebody believes in their own morals." He shrugged. "Dad said it once to Mom about something, but I can't remember."

Johnny rubbed the back of his neck, confusion blanketing his features. Ponyboy liked to read and stuff, and he was awfully smart, but sometimes, he was hard to understand. Dally said it was because he liked to repeat big words and phrases to sound that way, but whether he actually understood what he was saying or not was a different matter entirely.

Angela was scowling. "Do you _really_ think the Great Pumpkin is gonna come here?"

"He will," assured Johnny. He glanced at Ponyboy, brows pulling together anxiously. "Right, Pony?"

"Tonight, the Great Pumpkin will rise up out of his pumpkin patch," he explained calmly. "He will fly through the air and bring toys to all the children in the world!"

"That sounds like Santa Claus," Angela responded. "But it's a good story."

Ponyboy's green eyes went wide in disbelief. "You don't believe it? I thought all little girls believed everything that was told to them."

"Welcome to the twentieth century," she fired back, and then began shifting around on her feet. She stepped closer to Ponyboy, smiling up at him. "But I _do_ believe you're awfully dreamy."

The seven year old went red. "Uh—"

"But if you try to hold my hand, I'll slug you," she warned. "My big brother taught me how to throw a punch, and I'll knock your block off."

Well, glory, Ponyboy thought, inching toward Johnny. He knew Tim Shepard, and he was real scary, kind of like Dally.

A shiver crept up his spine as he imagined Tim teaching Angela how to fight. He knew how violent the eleven year old could get, and he didn't want any force of his nature in the form of Angela's fist to make bodily contact with him, no sirree bub.

* * *

It was nearing eight when Two-Bit led the three other boys to the pumpkin patch. He wanted to check on Pony, Johnny, and Angela, make sure they were alright.

For closing in on one hour, he figured they'd gotten quite a bit of candy, even though Soda's bag seemed emptier than anyone's, even Steve's, who had somehow managed to end up with one full of rocks.

Other than that, they had been invited to a Halloween party right down the road from the Curtis's by one of Soda's and Steve's friends from school.

"Howdy, y'all!" Two-Bit greeted, waving at the two boys and Angela. "Did the Great Pumpkin drop by yet, leave me anything worthwhile?"

Steve rolled his eyes. "There ain't no such thing as a great pumpkin, stupid."

"Yes there is!" Ponyboy retorted, stepping forward with a frown on his face.

"No there isn't!" Steve yelled, his voice bitter.

"Is!"

"Isn't!"

"Is!"

"Isn't!"

Soda pushed himself between the two of them, accidentally knocking Steve's new rock collection from his hands, the contents spilling out across the ground. Ponyboy watched in sheer entertainment as his brother's best friend flushed profusely.

The younger boy pointed at the mess. "Why does Steve have a bag of rocks?"

"Shut up, kid," the dark-haired boy said, narrowing his eyes. Glory, but he sure disliked Soda's little brother sometimes. "Maybe I'm . . . collecting them."

Now Johnny looked interested. "What for?"

"Guys, knock it off," Soda cut in, glaring once at Two-Bit, who was laughing quietly in the background. "Look, we're gonna go to a party down the street from our house, so if y'all want to go with us, you'd better come along now."

"Or they can stay here and wait for the Great Pumpkin," Steve remarked, giving Ponyboy and Angela a wink.

Angela looked annoyed. "I thought _you_ didn't believe in the Great Pumpkin."

"Can we just go already?" Curly whined, wishing he was anywhere but there.

Glory, why couldn't Tim just let him hangout with him and Dallas? He could have been learning the ropes about gang stuff, _but no,_ he was here, surrounded by a bunch of morons arguing about a fictitious pumpkin that did Santa's job on Halloween. Good grief.

Steve was fuming, but he kept his trap shut, much to Ponyboy's glee. He didn't want to go to any party, though. He was going to wait for the Great Pumpkin all night if that's what it took. Besides, he wanted his toys, not to mention, to prove the others wrong.

"Well?" Two-Bit piped up, searching the three. "Y'all comin' along or not?"

Ponyboy shook his head. "Nope! I'm staying right here."

Johnny shrugged, kicking the toe of his shoe in the dirt. "Nah, that's alright. I think I'm gonna stay out here, too. You guys go ahead."

Soda raised an eyebrow with intrigue. That was quite a speech for Johnny, and in front of so many people, no less. That boy was quieter than a mouse, said mouse being Ponyboy, but still. Those two could have a conversation without saying one word, Soda was certain.

Angela was too busy gushing over Ponyboy, barely shaking her head.

"Well, alright," the golden-haired boy replied. "Suit yourselves."

Steve sneered. "What a bunch of blockheads, sitting in a pumpkin patch in the middle of the night."

Curly nodded along with a look of disgust. "Y'all missed trick-or-treat and now you ain't coming to the Halloween party? What a waste."

Soda gave the three of them a sad smile as he left with the others, wishing that Ponyboy didn't have to believe that stupid story Darry told him. Lordy, he'd been talking about waiting for that pumpkin since the beginning of the month, and worst of all, he'd brought Johnny and Angela into it.

Oh, what a way to spend Halloween, he thought.

* * *

Dally grinned dangerously as he and Tim Shepard egged another Soc's house. They'd been across the west side of town trashing as many houses as they could without getting caught.

Oh, there were two nights that the blond especially enjoyed more than anything—mischief night and Halloween.

He'd jumped a group of younger kids just to steal their bags of candy, and not even because he cared for the sweets, but because he simply wanted to. It was a rise, one that he and Tim both enjoyed all too much. He was glad the older boy hadn't let his kid brother tag along, the pain in the ass. Tim had spun a tale that he was doing "business." In other words, Curly wasn't allowed, and that was that.

Creeping up a pathway, Dallas clutched a small bag in his hand, making sure to keep it away from himself because of the nasty odor.

Boy, this will be good, he thought excitedly, looking around the area and making his way to the porch. With a flick of his lighter, he lit the bag up, before ringing the bell and running as fast as he could back to the bushes, diving behind them quickly.

A moment later, Mr. Sanders, the elementary school principal, answered the door with a bucket full of candy in hand, a panicked expression forming on his face when he saw the burning bag. He placed the bucket inside and jumped on the fiery bag in one fluid motion, the contents splattering up his feet and ankles, causing him to cry out.

With that, Dallas popped up and threw an egg in his direction, watching with satisfaction as it cracked against his white shirt.

"You damn hooligans!" he yelled out in the darkness, vexation across his face. "Don't come back or I'll call the police!"

Tim was beside Dallas in a minute. "Nice shot, Winston!"

The younger boy lit up a cigarette as they made their way back to the car that Tim was currently "borrowing." Hell if Dallas cared anyway, which he didn't. He had to admit that Tim _did_ look awfully goofy driving the car, though.

"Where are ya stayin' tonight?" he asked, glancing over at the blond beside himself.

Dally shrugged. "Just drop me off by that vacant lot near the Curtis's."

* * *

"If anyone told me I'd be waiting in a pumpkin patch on Halloween night, I would have told them they were crazy," Angela bit out, glaring at the scenery in front of herself.

Ponyboy remained calm. "Just think, Angela, that when the Great Pumpkin rises out of the pumpkin patch, the three of us will be here to see him."

Johnny felt his eyelids growing heavy. Golly, but he sure was tired, and he wasn't so sure he wanted to be waiting around for this pumpkin anymore. He didn't care about getting toys or anything; he was mighty tired and wanted to sleep.

Apparently, he wasn't the only one, either. Angela was getting a little restless, too, and Johnny wasn't sure how much more he could take. He didn't want to make Ponyboy feel bad earlier, though, but he really wanted to go trick-or-treating.

Something rustled in the distance, causing the three kids to stiffen. Angela stepped closer to Ponyboy and Johnny, but appeared more alert. Ponyboy, on the other hand, seemed more excited than either of them, his green eyes widening as his mouth practically spilled open.

"There he is!" he suddenly cried out. "It's the Great Pumpkin. He's rising up out of the pumpkin patch!" And then he collapsed on the ground.

Johnny, for all his worth, began to panic, unsure of what to do.

 _Great what?_ Dallas thought to himself, reaching for the cigarette that was secured between his lips. He marched over to the three kids, blue eyes blazing angrily.

"What are you three boneheads doin' out here, huh?" he demanded, and reached down to pull Ponyboy up by the front of his jacket. As the kid opened his eyes, seeming to come back to life, Dallas let him go. "You ought to know better than to be out here by yourselves like this after dark."

Ponyboy, still delirious, began to speak. "What happened? Did I faint? What did he leave us?" A whack in the head jolted him awake, and he was met with the elfin face of Dally Winston, the meanest ten year old in their neighborhood.

"Snap out of it, kid," he ordered in a rough voice. "Well, are any of ya gonna give me an answer?"

And that's when little Angela snapped. "You blockhead! You kept me out here all night waiting for the Great Pumpkin, and all that came was a hoodlum!" Her face fell. "Halloween is over and I missed it, and it's all your fault." Her eyes were tearing up by then as she pointed a small finger at Ponyboy. "You owe me restitution!"

Dallas barely understood half of that, but he decided that enough was enough. "Let's go!"

"So much for meeting the Great Pumpkin," Johnny mumbled sarcastically, shooting a look at Ponyboy as they headed out of the pumpkin patch.

The younger boy merely shrugged. "Well, there's always next year!"

* * *

 **Happy Halloween! :3**


End file.
